


Falling into Routine

by Merfilly



Series: Avenged, Annealed, and Atoned [3]
Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Character Death Fix, Gen, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-04
Updated: 2013-01-04
Packaged: 2017-11-23 14:00:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/622955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Phil is healed enough to go out now, and his first stop is Stark Tower.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Falling into Routine

Surprisingly, Phil did not have to run a gauntlet of bureaucracy or defenses to get up to Stark's office this time. He was ushered to the executive elevator and rose all the way to the top without any intervening checks, stepping out into the main work and office area of the genius.

"Mister Stark, have I been placed on some special list?" Phil asked to break the ice.

A glass shattered on the floor as Pepper, also present, dropped her drink and jaw.

"Well, JARVIS was getting annoyed with you constantly bypassing his systems," Tony said. "It's about time you came to see me. Pepper's missed you." Tony looked up from his desk then, eyebrows going up. "Ahh, without the chair even. Hope you liked it."

Phil found the most diplomatic words he could for that, even as Pepper was trying to recover her aplomb. "It reminded me of you," was what finally came out of his mouth.

"Phil... and you knew!" Pepper stared over at her boyfriend and employer. "You son of a …"

"Of course I knew," Tony told her. "JARVIS brought the parameters of the power chair Fury commissioned to my attention as being unusual. It could only mean one thing, in light of us never receiving news of funeral services. After all, I might have pissed him off badly enough not to get to go, but you never piss anyone off, Pepper."

"But... you didn't tell me!" she protested.

"I forgot," Tony told her.

"I am sorry, Ms. Potts, that it's taken me so long to come by," Phil said, trying to clear himself of her possible temper. The quiet but driven ones were always dangerous to get on the wrong side of, after all. That reminded him of why he was here. "Mr. Stark, SHIELD has acquired some interesting data packets, and Director Fury is requesting you and Mr. Banner look over them," he said.

"How do you know Bruce is around? He might have vanished into the world." Tony shrugged. "I might not have a clue where he is."

"But you may, and if so, I think you and he will enjoy dissecting this." Phil brought a USB drive over to Tony, laying it down.

"Yes, but I might still be upset with you." Tony pretended to scowl at Phil, even as he palmed the drive. "That was a naughty thing you did, pretending to die like that just to make us focus on the big picture."

"At the time in question, I did not believe it to be pretense," Phil admitted. That got an honest to goodness frown from Tony, and Pepper came over to hug him, quick and impulsive. Phil returned it, smiling a bit at her.

"No more doing that," Tony scolded, before speaking to the air. "JARVIS..."

"He is already on his way up," the AI responded.

"Did you forget to tell him?" Pepper asked.

"Maybe?" Tony answered. "I have a lot to do!" he quickly followed up with as she gave him a firm look of exasperation.

Phil debated leaving, but the doors opened again, and Bruce, looking like he was all but living in the lab these days, walked in. The scientist stopped, blinked, then broke into a grin.

"Well, either Tony's LMDs are being commissioned by SHIELD, or Fury pulled one on us again." He walked over and gripped Phil's shoulders tight.

"Actually, just a small matter of our medical team being as stubborn as our agents," Phil demurred. "I believe the Director was under the impression I had truly clocked out."

"Don't do it again, any time soon at least," Bruce said. "So what's up, Tony?"

"New science project," Tony said, plugging the drive in.

As the data populated on the holographic screens, Pepper linked her arm in Phil's walking him away from the others. "Come on; they can work, and you can join me for lunch."

"I'd like that, Ms. Potts."

"Pepper."

"Pepper."

`~`~`~`~`

"So does Steve know yet?" Pepper poked at her salad, while Phil was pouring dressing over his own in the lounge they had absconded to.

"Steve? Captain America," Phil said, after placing the name. "Didn't know you were on a first name basis with him."

"I'm on first name basis with everyone in Tony's life, I think," Pepper teased.

Phil nodded at that, while still mulling over what she had asked. "No. He's on a road trip from what I understand."

"Yes, but... well, you have a thing about him."

The agent looked up at her, one eyebrow going up. "A 'thing'? And just how do you surmise this?"

"Tony told me you were heavily fanboying him," Pepper told him.

Phil did not spit out the mouthful of water at that. He had far better control, after all. He swallowed, set his glass down, then shook his head.

"Mr. Stark exaggerated, I assure you. I do not 'fanboy'."

Pepper laughed at him, then took a bite of her salad. After she had chewed it, she sipped her own drink, then regarded Phil. "It's okay to look up to your hero, but I got the impression you might have become one of his after he learned just how you died... well, almost died."

Phil could not help but scoff at that. "He's... He's Captain America, Pepper. He is _the_ hero."

"Don't sell yourself short, Phil." She patted his hand. "Give him a call."

"Maybe soon. I had a lot of physical therapy to get through to get out of that terror your boss called a power chair." Phil made a small face at the memory of it.

"Oh, did he go overboard on the safety protocols?" Pepper asked. "He really likes you. He only goes that far for his friends, and... he doesn't count many of those."

The agent fidgeted just a little, then nodded. "I know. I appreciate it."

"Good."

Pepper then turned the conversation to other things, and Phil was thankful for it. He still wasn't sure just what he thought of being someone important in the eyes of extraordinary people.


End file.
